As reported by Bloomberg News on Wednesday, Nintendo posted second-quarter profits that beat analyst estimates, helped by a weaker yen that boosted the value of overseas sales and demand for new games, including the company’s Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8. Net income was 24.2 billion yen, or $224 million, for the three months ended September 30, compared to an 8 billion yen loss a year earlier.

The company booked a 15.5 billion yen gain in the fiscal first half from the weaker Japanese currency. Second-quarter sales fell to 96.7 billion yen from 115 billion yen a year ago, but Nintendo left unchanged its forecast for full-year profit of 20 billion yen and sales of 590 billion yen. The company maintained its projection to sell 3.6 million Wii U consoles across the full year.

In a statement, Nintendo also maintained its full-year sales targets for the 3DS handheld player and software titles for both. The newest version of the 3DS, which features additional buttons and a faster processor, went on sale in Japan on October 11; and Super Smash Bros. for 3DS, which was released in Japan on September 13, and in North America and Europe on October 3, sold 3.2 million units as of the end of the month. The company is also entering the multi-billion-dollar, collectible toy market with its amiibo figurines, which let players enter a Nintendo character into a game through the Wii U’s GamePad tablet.

Nintendo has unleashed over 50 new features and details for its upcoming Super Smash Bros. for Wii U game, including an eight-player mode, Nintendo 3DS features, the ability to build and share custom stages, and a soundtrack offer.

For the first time, eight players can play the game in a special mode in local multiplayer. This option is only available in the Wii U version, and lets players compete in larger stages to accommodate the amount of characters. In addition, players can also use amiibo figures to play, which can gain levels to become stronger and add equipment as they gain experience through battling. Also, fans can now build their own stages and hare them with friends and other players around the world using the touch screen of the Wii U gamepad. [Read more...]

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo3DS has reached cumulative sales of more than 2.8 million worldwide, following launches in the Americas, Europe, and Australia. To keep the momentum going, Nintendo has unveiled the launch date of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, which will arrive in North America on November 21.

In related news, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U will support amiibo, Nintendo’s new line of interactive figures, which will launch on the same day. The first wave of amiibo includes Mario, Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Link, Fox, Samus, Wii Fit Trainer, Villager, Pikachu, Kirby, and Marth. The second wave launching in December includes Zelda, Diddy Kong, Luigi, Little Mac, Pit, and Captain Falcon.

The new Skylanders game lets fans seek out and battle villains in Skylands, and once they’ve defeated them, players can place a Trap into the new Traptanium Portal to capture them. Players will be able to hear the villains inside the Traps, and can send the villains back into the game to fight as heroes.

To celebrate the release of Skylanders Trap Team, exclusive Skylanders products are available at retailers nationwide. Toys “R” Us stores in North America and online at toysrus.com are the only places to find the limited edition Legendary Series of Skylanders toys at launch. The Legendary Series features alternative versions of new Trap Master characters and packs such as Jawbreaker, Déjà Vu, and the Nightmare Express Adventure Pack, all of which feature in-game stat boosts. [Read more...]

On Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, the Toys “R” Us flagship store in New York City will host unique in-store Skylanders-themed experiences. Customers who visit Toys “R” Us Times Square from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on either day can be among the first to play the new game at dedicated kiosks throughout the store.

They can also receive complimentary giveaways while supplies last, as well as have the opportunity to be digitally teleported into a Skylanders Trap Team “Most Wanted” photo alongside some of the game’s villains, including Kaos and Chompy Mage.

When Skylanders Trap Team releases on October 5, all Toys “R” Us stores nationwide will open one hour earlier at 8 a.m., and select stores will open at midnight. A full list of stores opening at midnight can be found at toysrus.com/midnightskylanders. Meanwhile, the Skylanders villain Kaos will be taking over the Toys “R” Us Twitter channel (@Toysrus) on Saturday, October 4, from 11 to 11:50 p.m. to interact with fans and build anticipation for the midnight release. [Read more...]

Nintendo3DS owners can download a free demo of the upcoming fighting game, Super Smash Bros., in the Nintendo eShop at 9 a.m. PT today. The demo includes playable characters Mario, Link, Pikachu, Villager, and Mega Man. It also features the battlefield stage and the ability to compete in local multiplayer matches with fellow Nintendo 3DS owners who have downloaded the demo to their systems.

This fall, Skylanders Trap Team, from Activision Publishing Inc., will arrive on Nintendo 3DS with an adventure exclusive to the platform. Developed by Beenox and launching on October 5 alongside the console and tablet versions, Skylanders Trap Team for 3DS will utilize the special features of the system: For instance, after villains are defeated in combat, players can use the bottom touch screen to pull them out of the game and trap them in the Traptanium Vault. Then, once captured, players can use the touch screen and microphone to poke, tickle, and spin villains to make them dizzy.

Using the portal included in the Skylanders Trap Team Nintendo 3DS Starter Pack, players can load Skylanders characters directly into their system. Additionally, two Skylanders characters, Gusto and Barkley, will be available at launch only via the Nintendo 3DS Starter Pack.

Skylanders Trap Team for Nintendo 3DS will also introduce a multi-player version of the card game Skylanders Skystones, which uses wi-fi connectivity.

The Nintendo3DS XL will get three new looks for the holiday season: the Super Smash Bros. Edition Nintendo 3DS XL, the NES Edition Nintendo 3DS XL, and the Persona Q Edition Nintendo 3DS XL.

The Super Smash Bros. Edition Nintendo 3DS XL system, available in red and blue, goes on sale at retailers nationwide on September 19, in honor of the October 3 launch of Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS. The NES Edition Nintendo 3DS XL, which has hardware modeled after Nintendo’s iconic NES controller, is a GameStop exclusive and goes on sale October 10.

Nintendo announced release dates for its massive lineup of new games and products for the 2014 holiday season. Among the release dates are the highly anticipated Super Smash Bros. for both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS consoles, as well as the new amiibo interactive figures.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS launches Oct. 3, with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U following during the holiday season. Consumers who register both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions of the games with Club Nintendo will receive the Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS & Wii U: Premium Sound Selection,a soundtrack CD packed with music taken from and inspired by the games. Additionally, Nintendo revealed that Shulk from the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise will be a playable character on both consoles.

The first 12 amiibo interactive figures, Nintendo’s new foray into the toys-to-life play pattern, become available for pre-order today at a suggested retail price of $12.99 each. The first dozen characters available for pre-order at select retailers include Mario, Peach, Link, Samus, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Pikachu, Kirby, Fox, Marth, Villager, and Wii Fit Trainer. More figures will launch in the future. Super Smash Bros.for Wii U will be the first game with full integration of amiibo functionality. Other games that will support amiibo include Mario Kart 8, Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, Mario Party 10, and Yoshi’s Woolly World, with more to come. More details on amiibo functionality with the various games and a launch date will be revealed shortly.

Based on the first five episodes of the animated television series Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Lego Ninjago: Nindroids is rated for ages 10 and up, and takes players to New Ninjago City, where the Ninja face a technological threat by the evil Digital Overlord and his robotic army of Nindroids. Playing as their favorite ninja, players battle through more than 30 exciting levels with cool vehicles, signature weapons, and new Technoblades, all the while partaking in missions to help save the city.

New Products

Buffalo Games will develop adult and family board games and card games based on the National Geographic Channel series, Brain Games. The Joester Loria Group served as the exclusive licensing agency behind the deal. The initial product offering will require that players complete a series of challenges and experiments intended to test all aspects of [...]

Two familiar faces from the Marvel Universe—one friendly, the other slightly less so—make their way into Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes (2.0 Edition) today. Fans will be able to purchase figures for Falcon and Loki, who join a variety of Marvel super heroes, Disney fan favorites, and more to create all-new adventures.

LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin is available now from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, and The Lego Group. Available in all major retail stores across North America for the Nintendo 3DS and the PlayStation Vita, the game is based on the LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu TV series.

In anticipation of the new movie, Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, Funko is will be re-releasing previously vaulted Star Wars Pop! until the film arrives in theaters on December 18. The re-released Pop! will come in special edition packaging that distinguishes them from the original items. Available in stores this April, Greedo is [...]

Playability Toys has officially launched Pigsy, an educational gaming app that teaches basic financial literacy. Later versions will include unique personalization features intended to make learning engaging and fun.